Most electronic devices such as cell phones, laptop computers, etc., use direct current (dc) power to operate. Conventional wall outlets generally deliver a high voltage alternating current (ac) power that needs to be transformed to do power in order to be used as a power source by most electronic devices. Switched mode power converters are commonly utilized to convert the high voltage ac power to a regulated dc power, due to their high efficiency, small size, and low weight. A switched mode power converter produces an output by periodically switching a power switch for one or more switching cycles.
Switched mode power converters typically employ a controller to regulate output power delivered to an electrical device, e.g., a battery, which is commonly referred to as a load. The controller regulates power to the load by controlling a power switch to repeatedly turn on and off in response to a feedback signal representative of the output of the power converter. A controller may use an on/off control technique to regulate an output of a switched mode power converter. In a typical on/off control technique, the controller determines whether to enable or disable the conduction of the power switch for each switching cycle by comparing the feedback signal with a threshold. For example, the controller may switch the power switch on (i.e., may initiate a switching activity) for the next switching cycle if the feedback signal is less than the threshold at the end of the previous switching cycle.
Switch mode power converters usually employ an output capacitor to smooth out any ripple in the output voltage. The output capacitor may be associated with a series resistance commonly referred to as an equivalent series resistance (ESR). In cases where the controller uses on/off control technique and the output capacitor has a small ESR, the feedback signal may not react quickly enough to effectuate the transfer of energy from the input to the output. For instance, the feedback signal may not cross the threshold quickly enough after the power switch is switched off in a switching cycle such that the power switch is switched on too soon after the previous switching activity. This can lead to grouping or bunching of switching activity that produces unstable operation of the power converter.
Additionally, in some cases, noise may couple to the feedback signal, such that the controller may not accurately detect the time that the feedback signal crosses the threshold. As a result, the controller may start mistiming the switching of the power switch, which can also cause instability in the power converter.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment may not be depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present disclosure.